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Falls and Fear of Falling among Community-Dwelling Seniors: The Dynamic Tension between Exercising Precaution and Striving for Independence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Catherine Ward-Griffin ,
Sandra Hobson ,
Pauline Melles ,
Marita Kloseck ,
Anthony Vandervoort  and
Richard Crilly
Catherine Ward-Griffin*
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Sandra Hobson
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Pauline Melles
Affiliation:
St. Joseph's Health Centre
Marita Kloseck
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Anthony Vandervoort
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Richard Crilly
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Catherine Ward-Griffin, RN, PhD, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1. (cwg@uwo.ca)
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Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the everyday experience of community-dwelling elders, with particular attention to seniors' perceptions of safety, fear of falling, independence, and quality of life. We also aimed to identify contextual factors that influence the health of elders who had fallen and/or had a fear of falling. Data from in-depth interviews with a purposeful sample (n = 9) of elders were analysed using interpretative analysis procedures. Both individual and team analysis was undertaken until interpretations of the experiences of the participants were inductively developed and crystallized into a holistic interpretation of the participants' shared experience. The holistic experience was comprised of two opposing, dynamic life forces: exercising precaution and striving for independence. Within each life force, participants used five major strategies that simultaneously constrained and expanded their life space. Health-promoting practice and policy implications, as well as areas for further research, are discussed.

Résumé

L'objet de cette étude phénoménologique est d'explorer le vécu quotidien des aînés résidant dans la communauté, notamment la perception qu'ils ont de leur sécurité, leur peur de tomber, leur autonomie et leur qualité de vie. Nous avons également cherché à cerner les facteurs contextuels qui influent sur la santé des personnes âgées ayant fait une chute et/ou craignant de faire une chute. Nous avons analysé, au moyen de procédures d'analyse interprétative, les données tirées d'entrevues approfondies menées auprès d'un échantillon représentatif (n = 9) d'aînés. Nous avons poursuivi notre analyse individuelle et d'équipe jusqu'à ce que les perceptions du vécu des participants puissent être induites et cristallisées en une interprétation holistique de leur expérience commune. Cette expérience holistique s'appuyait sur deux forces vitales antagonistes : « prudence avant tout » et « poursuite de l'autonomie ». Pour chaque force vitale, les participants ont utilisé cinq grandes stratégies qui limitaient et élargissaient à la fois leur espace vital. L'ouvrage traite aussi des retombées des pratiques et politiques de promotion de la santé, et d'autres voies de recherche possibles.

Keywords

agingfallselderlyhealth promotioninjury preventionvieillissementchutespersonnes âgéesaînéspromotion de la santéprévention des blessures
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 23 , Issue 4 , Winter/Hiver 2004 , pp. 307 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2004

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